TV Review – Star Trek: Discovery – S01E06

Well, here we are again. Another week down, another episode of my “favorite” Trek series completed. So where am I on this one?

Hold your horses, kids. I liked it.

Though not in the same way that she likes Lorca.

Spoilers, as always, to follow!

So, yeah, I didn’t hate it. I kind of liked it. I’ll give it a solid B-. If nothing else it was nice to be left with fewer, though not zero, “wait, what?” kind of questions. The acting was solid, the pacing was good, and Burnham didn’t come off as a totally unlikable bitch.

But there are a few questions that remain.

Starfleet has a bit of a history of admirals who are, shall we say, problematical. I think this is the first time we’ve seen one banging a subordinate, however. So yet more unprofessional behavior from our characters. Why? What purpose does it serve?

Lorca is a psychopath, it seems. Fine, but in a Federation that includes Betazoids and Vulcans, how is he slipping past everything? Pet theory: this is a mirror universe version of Lorca.

Did no one really notice that Stamnets seems quite high? Ok, there was some slight comment, but he seemed really high. Like, “myconologist who is way too fond of mushrooms” kind of high. I have no idea what was going on there.

So in addition to a mushroom drive that can propel people across the universe at the rate of 90 light years in 1.3 seconds, we also have instantaneous communication? It’s implied here that any mental communication that happens, happens instantaneously. Surely this is something that Starfleet should be researching the Hell out of, since it would be very useful, especially as it doesn’t seem to require much in the way of equipment.

Apparently they now have a work-around that allows the spore drive to be used. Fine, great. But why wasn’t it ever used, or even mentioned, in any subsequent Trek series?

Disco shirts. Not a comment, just an observation. Disco shirts.

And really…that’s about it for this week’s list of questions and confusions. Also, no Orville this week, so nothing to talk about there. So I guess we’re done! See you next week!